Test run for new Korean reactor halted again on technical glitch

South Korea's new Shin Wolsong 1 reactor went offline on Sunday morning after its turbine generator wasautomatically stopped, said officials at the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co.

The reactor has just resumed the test run for a week when the shut down occurred.

A stoppage also occurred in March due to flaws in coolant pumps.

It did not cause any leaks of radioactive materials or other serious accidents, but raised the possibility of delaying the timing of starting its regular operation, originally set for July.

"This stoppage is not related to the safety of the reactor or any leaks of radioactive materials," said a company official in the city of Gyeongju.

"We are figuring out the exact cause of the breakdown," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

With a capacity of one million kilowatts, the Shin Wolsong 1 is a pressurized heavy water reactor with designsbased on a Canadian technology.

Korea relies on 21 nuclear reactors for nearly half of its electricity needs.

For more.